UEFA have handed Liverpool a huge boost in the Premier League title race.
On Wednesday, Liverpool reasserted their control in the Premier League title race by dispatching Luton Town 4-1 at Anfield.
Despite Luton taking the lead after 12 minutes through Chiedozie Ogbene, Liverpool claimed an emphatic win courtesy of goals from Virgil Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott.
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Liverpool’s recovery has seen them go four points clear in the Premier League title race, having played a game more than nearest challengers Manchester City and Arsenal.
The Reds’ chances of winning a second Premier League title in Jurgen Klopp’s final season at the club have been given a further boost.
Liverpool were drawn against Sparta Prague in the last-16 of the Europa League - a tie Klopp will be happy with considering some of the alternatives on offer.
While Qarabag would have perhaps been the easiest tie of the round, Liverpool have saved themselves a lengthy away trip to Azerbaijan, which would have been scheduled just days before a heavyweight encounter with City.
The Reds have also avoided potentially tricky encounters against the likes of AC Milan, Benfica, Sporting CP and Roma.
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Working against Liverpool’s title chances, however, is their lengthy injury list.
Speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday, Pep Lijnders said that Alisson Becker has a “muscle injury; Trent, LCL; Jota, medial ligament, MCL. Curtis [has] a high ankle sprain. They will be longer out.”
He added: “Curtis is probably the first one [to come back] around the international break. All the others will be after the international break.
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“Dom [Szoboszlai], Darwin [Nunez[ and Mo [Salah] we have to really see. We have two more days.
“So today’s session and tomorrow’s session. We will check if they can be there. Would be great, to be honest!”
Topics: Liverpool, Premier League, Europa League, Jurgen Klopp, Manchester City, Carabao Cup
Chris Byfield